While the farm-to-table idea is not new in the food world, some higher-end restaurants in Mexico City are beginning to source their ingredients directly from the famed floating gardens of Xochimilco. Sometimes referred to as the "Mexican Venice" for its canals and brightly colored boats, Xochimilco is home to gardens that use ancient cultivation techniques to produce over 2.5 tons of food per month.

With the help of a business called Yolcan, Xochimilco's produce is now being served in Mexico City's most acclaimed restaurants. Ahead, a look at the techniques used there.

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This technique of farming, known as chinampa, has been used since before the time of the Aztecs. It was then that farmers created the "floating" islands, which are bound to the shallow canal beds through layers of sediment and willow roots.

Fennel, root vegetables, kale, chard, and herbs, like epazote, are all grown here.

Ichiro Kitazawa, a chef at the Japanese restaurant Rocoi, inspects herbs.
Marco Ugarte/AP

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Celebrated chef Eduardo Garcia, founder of Máximo Bistrot, uses produce from Xochimilco and other local farms for about two-thirds of the ingredients on his menu.

Marco Ugarte/AP

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Although getting produce from the Xochimilco farms is generally more expensive than buying wholesale, chefs swear by the quality and stress the importance of buying local.

Marco Ugarte/AP

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"I think all of the world's restaurants should make it a goal to use these alternative ingredients," García told AP.

Marco Ugarte/AP

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The coveted tables at Máximo Bistrot, which are usually booked weeks in advance, prove that quality wins. "We've eaten in 26 countries around the world, and for the price and quality, this was awesome," Kristin Kearin, a 35-year-old tourist from the United States, told the Associated Press.